Switch-stand-crank mechanism.



P. G. ANDERSON. SWITCH STAND CRANK MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED OOT.18, 1913.

1,088,1 1 9. Patented Feb. 24, 19M

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FRANK C. ANDERSON, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE AMERICAN VALVE 8: METER COMPANY, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

SWITCH-STAND-CRANK MECHANISM.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK C. ANDERSON, citizen of the United States, residing at Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Switch-Stand- Crank Mechanisms, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to switch-operating mechanism, and its object is to insure the proper security of the pin that connects the connecting rod to the crank of the switch stand; and which pin, in my improved construction, is made breakable so as to concentrate the damage upon this pin in case a train runs through the switch.

My invention consists in the parts and in the details of construction and arrangement of parts as will hereinafter be more fully described and claimed.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation of a switch stand provided with my invention; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same with the cover and target removed to better show the lower and interior mechanism; Fig. 3 is a vertical section through the crank, the pin, and the connecting rod, on a line corresponding to the line wm of Fig. 2; Fig. 4: is a detail plan view of the crank; Fig. 5 is a detail side elevation of the pin; Fig. 6 is a cross section on the line yy of Fig. 5; and Fig. 7 is a detail plan view of the pin.

As illustrated in the drawing, the switch stand comprises the casing 1 with the cover 2 in which is journaled a horizontal shaft 3 on which are fixed the operating lever 41 and the bevel pinion 5 outside and inside the casing, respectively. The operating lever 4-. is provided with suitable latches 6 and 7, and the pinion 5 meshes with the segment gear 8 which is fixed on a vertical shaft 9, also journaled in the casing.

A crank 10 is fixed on the vertical shaft 9 below the casing, being made to turn with the shaft by the engagement of suitable segmental lugs 11 on the hub of the crank vith corresponding lugs on the hub of the segmental gear 8.

The above parts are described merely to facilitate refe ence to the parts most intimately involved in my invention, which will now be described.

The connecting rod 12 is of any approved construction, and the pin 13 forms the piv- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 18, 1913.

Patented Feb. 24, 1914. Ser'i'al No. 796,062.

otal connection of the connecting rod 12 with the crank 10. It is in this pin and in the crank 10 that my invention resides. This pin 13 has a major part or head 14L, of diameter greater than the opening 15 in the crank 10, through which opening 15 a part 16 of lesser diameter than the major part 14: passes. In order that the pin 13 will break before any other part of the mechanism when undue strain is exerted on the mechanism, as by a car wheel passing its flange between the point rail and the stock rail of the switch, the pin 13 has a reduced part or neck 17 where the lesser part 16 joins the major part 14:. The major part 141 journals with the connecting rod 12. Thus any excessive pull on the connecting rod 12 will break the pin 13 in the reduced part 17. When the pin is thus broken it is necessary merely to insert a new pin, by which the switch is repaired and again ready for service. An extra pin 18 is provided, hung in inverted position in an opposite extension 19 on the crank 10, as seen in Figs. 1 and 2. Ordinarily the pin 13 is secured against rising out of its position by a cotter 20 passing through a hole 21 in the pin below the crank 10. To remove the pin or insert a new one the switch stand is thrown to the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, whereupon the pin clears the bottom of the casing and may be readily reached. In operation it swings closely under the bottom of the casing, and it is to enable the crank 10 to be located up close to the casing that the major part 14 is made to serve both as the head of the pin and as the pivot for the connecting rod 12. This breakable pin is a great benefit in railway service in that it enables a quick and inexpensive repair to be made by unskilled labor. However, it is found that such unskilled labor cannot always be relied upon to insert the cotter pin 20 in the opening 21 of the pin below the crank. If this cotter pin 20 is not inserted the pin is liable to rise in the crank, and will then collide with the lower part of the casing 1 and render the switch stand inoperative; or the pin may even rise entirely out of the crank, thus disconnecting the stand fromthe switch rails.

In order to provide a fastening means for the pin which will be nearly automatic in its operation I provide the pin 13 with a radial lug 22, in the same zone as that of the opening 21 for the cotter pin 20, and thus in such a position thereon that it will come close to the under side of the crank when the pin is down in proper position, and the crank 10 is provided with a passageway 23 for the lug 22, being a radial extension of the bore 15 in the crank 10. WVhen the pin 13 is inserted, this lug 22 may pass down through the passageway 23, and then a slight turn of the pin 13 will bring the lug 22 away from under this passageway 23, so that, if the pin rises, the upper part of this lug 22 will engage with the lower side. of the crank 10 and stop the pin. The upper part of the pin is provided with a series of lugs 24: extending radially thereon with which the fingers of the workman may be engaged'to turn the pin. To allow these lugs 24 to pass, the lower part of the stand 1 is cut away as seen in Fig. 1. It will be seen that, with this provision, if the workman forgets to insert the cotter pin 20, the pin 13 will nevertheless be held with a high degree of security by virtue of the lug 22 under the lower side of the crank. Even should the workman forget to turn the pin slightly upon inserting it, the operation of the switch stand will tend to turn the pin, and the chance of the lug 22 again coming opposite the passageway 23 and of the pin tending to rise while the lug is in this position is exceedingly small. However, the cotter pin should be provided along with this lug, thus making the pin absolutely secure.

The workman may be depended upon to turn the'pin 13 even where he would forget to insert the cotter pin.

The pin 13 is inserted after the connecting rod 12 has had its hole brought concentric with the bore 15 of the crank, and therefore the lug 22 should not extend radially past the outside of the major part or head 14;; if it did it would prevent the insertion of the pin in this way because the lug would not go through the hole in the connecting rod 12. In constructing the crank 10 to provide the bore 15 with its extension or passageway 23, a small hole is first bored in the crank with its center on the circumferential line of the main bore 15, and then the main bore is made, leaving only half of the first bore, which thus forms the passageway 23 of semi-circular cross section, as is best seen in Fig. 4. The pin 13 is made of cast iron or other material which will break with comparative ease, and it may be cast with the lug 22 having a surplus upward extension and then the region of the pin that is to occupy the bore 15 is turned or otherwise finished to fit the bore 15, and during this turning or finishing process the upper part of the lug 22 is also finished, so that it is substantially straight and horizontal as seen in Figs. 3 and 5. In cross section this lug may be substantially semi-circular, and considerably less in cross sectional area than is the passageway 23, so that the lug need not be finished on its sides. It will be understood that the turning or finishing of the part of the pill 13 that occupies the bore 15 is comparatively light. The upper or major part 14- of the pin is not finished in practice, but the connecting rod 12 has its opening such that the part 14:, which may be cast very accurate, will fit it sufiiciently close to insure proper operation of the mechanism. The lower end of the pin 13 is preferably provided with a tapered end 25, so that it is inserted down through the connecting rod 12 and the crank 10 with greater facility.

By the invention above described the benefits of the frangible connecting pin are derived, with the added benefit of the advantage of reliability when a new pin is inserted after the breaking of the old one, even with the employment of unskilled labor.

Having fully described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a switch stand crank connection, the combination of a crank having an opening, a pin passing through the opening, and a radial lug on the pin to come below the crank, said opening in the crank having a radial extension for the passage of the lug through the crank, and the pin being adapted to turn in the crank.

2. In a switch stand crank connection the combination of a crank having an opening, a frangible pin passing through the opening, and a radial lug on the pin to come below the crank, said opening in the crank having a radial extension for the passage of the lug through the crank, and the pin being adapted to turn in the crank.

3. I11 a switch stand crank connection, the combination of a crank having an opening, a pin passing through the opening, and a radial lug on the pin to come below the crank, said opening in the crank having a radial extension for the passage of the lug through the crank, and the pin being adapted to turn in the crank, and said pin also having a reduced port-ion whereby it is frangible.

4. In a switch stand crank connection, the combination of a crank having an opening, a pin passing through the opening, and a radial lug on the pin to come below the crank, said opening in the crank having a radial extension.- for the passage of the lug through the crank, the pin being adapted to turn in the crank, and a projection on the upper part of said pin whereby it may be turned in the crank.

5. In a switch stand crank connection, the combination of a crank having an opening, a pin passing through the opening, and a radial lug on the pin to come below the crank,

said opening in the crank having a radial extension for the passage of the lug through the crank, and the pin being adapted to turn in the crank, said pin having an opening through it to receive a fastening means below the crank.

6. In a switch stand crank connection, the combination or". a crank having an opening, a pin passing through the opening, and a ra dial lug on the pin to come below the crank, said opening in the crank having a radial extension for the passage of the lug through the crank, the pin being adapted to turn in the crank, and a projection on the upper part of said pin whereby it may be turned in the crank, said pin having an opening through it to receive a fastening means below the crank.

7. In a switch stand crank connection, the combination of a crank having an opening with a radial extension therefrom, of a pin having a major upper part and a connecting rod with which this upper part has a journal bearing, this upper part being of greater diameter than the opening in the crank, a lesser lower part to the pin fitting in the opening in the crank, and a radial lug on this lesser lower part passing through the radial extension of the opening in the crank and adapted to come under the lower side of the crank when the pin is turned in the crank.

8. In a switch stand crank connection, the combination of a crank having an opening with a radial extension therefrom, of a pin having a major upper part and a connecting rod with which this upper part has a journal bearing, this upper part being of greater diameter than the opening in the crank, a lesser lower part to the pin fitting in the opening in the crank, a radial lug on this lesser lower part passing through the radial extension of the opening in the crank and adapted to come under the lower side of the crank when the pin is turned in the crank, and a projection on the upper end of the major part of the pin for turning said pin in the crank.

9. In a switch stand crank connection, the combination of a crank having an opening with a radial extension therefrom, of a pin having a major upper part and a connecting rod with which this upper part has a journal bearing, this upper part being of greater diameter than the opening in the crank, a lesser lower part to the pin fitting in the opening in the crank, and a radial lug on this lesser lower part passing through the radial extension of the opening in the crank and adapted to come under the lower side of the crank when the pin is turned in the crank, said pin having an opening through it for the insertion of fastening means below said crank.

10. In a switch stand crank connection,

the combination of a crank having an opening with a radial extension therefrom, of a pin having a major upper part and a connecting rod wit-h which this upper part has a journal bearing, this upper part being of greater diameter than the opening in the crank, a lesser lower part to the pin fitting in the opening in the crank, a radial lug on this lesser lower part passing through the radial extension of the opening in the crank and adapted to come under the lower side of the crank when the pin is turned in the crank, and a projection on the upper end of the major part of the pin for turning said pin in the crank, said pin having an opening through it for the insertion of fastening means below said crank.

11. In a switch stand crank connection, the combination of a crank having an opening with a radial extension therefrom, of a pin having a major upper part and a connecting rod with which this upper part has a journal bearing, this upper part being of greater diameter than the opening in the crank, a lesser lower part to the pin fitting in the opening in the crank, a radial lug on this lesser lower part passing through the radial extension of the opening in the crank and adapted to come under the lower side of the crank when the pin is turned in the crank, a projection on the upper end of the major part of the pin for turning said pin in the crank, said pin having an opening through it for the insertion of fastening means below said crank, and said pin having a reduced portion where the lower part joins the major upper part, whereby the pin is frangible.

12. As a new and improved article of manufacture, a pin for a switch stand crank connection comprising a major upper part, a lesser lower part, and a radial lug on said lower part.

13. As a new and improved article of manufacture, a pin for a switch stand crank connect-ion comprising a major upper part, a lesser lower part, a radial lug on said lower part, and a projection on the upper end of the upper part to be grasped for turning the pin.

14. As a new and improved article of manufacture, a pin for a switch standcrank connection comprising a major upper part,

a lesser lower part, a radial lug on said lower part, and said lower part having an opening through it to receive a fastening means, said opening and said radial lug be ing substantially in the same zone.

15. As a new and improved article of manufacture, a pin for a switch stand crank connection comprising a major upper part, a lesser lower part, a radial lug on said lower part, a projection on the upper end of the upper part to be grasped for turning the pin, and said lower part having an opening -& 1,088,119

through it to receive a fastening means, said where the smaller lower part joins the opening and said radial lug being substanmajor upper part, whereby the pin is franl0 tially in the same zone. gible.

16. As a new and improved article of manufacture, a pin for a switch stand crank FRANK ANDERSON connection comprising a major upperlpart, Witnesses: a lesser lower part, and a radial lug on said J AMES N. RAMSEY, lower part, sald pln havlng a reduced part CLARENCE PERDEW.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. 0. 

